Familiar figures who ease school-run congestion

School crossing patrols.

SIR – You report the demise of school crossing patrols (September 3). But in Leicestershire, lollipop men and women remain the stalwarts of the school run.

We at Leicestershire council want to get people out of their cars and walking, cycling or using public transport. As school crossing patrols provide security for parents and encourage children to walk to school, we’ve decided that cutting back on them doesn’t add up. A reduction in the number of these familiar faces, who help children reach school safely, may increase congestion and add to the growing health problems facing our younger generations.